Hot Stuff

“What do I have to do to make that ninety-nine a one-hundred percent certainty?”

“Hmm…I’m sure I can think of something…”

“Lauren?”

“Yeah?”

He drops his voice to a husky whisper. “I really hope that something involves you without clothes…” He pauses for a brief moment, and I shiver.

Goddamn.

“And my face buried between your thighs. My mouth on your—”

“Okay!” I cut him off on a laugh. “It’s a one-hundred. I’ll be there.”

“Fan-fucking-tastic.” He chuckles. “So, am I allowed to pick you up for a second date? Or are we still worried about ax murderers?”

I nod, rolling my eyes. “You can pick me up.”

I hear someone yell in the background, and then it seems like Garrett covers the phone briefly. When he comes back, he’s in more of a hurry, but still playful, so the tension in my chest eases a little.

“Sorry, babe. Listen, I gotta go, but I’ll let you know when to expect me tomorrow night, okay?”

“Okay,” I agree.

“Go back to sleep. And, Lauren?”

“Yeah?”

“I can’t wait to see you.”

Ditto.

Remarkably, after putting my phone down on my nightstand and staring at the ceiling for a few brief seconds, I do manage to get some sleep.

In fact, I sleep the best I’ve slept in a week.

All because Garrett is on his way home. And I’m going to see him tomorrow.

January 25th

Garrett

It’s only a little past eight in the morning when I pull into Bethanny’s driveway and shut off the engine of my Suburban.

My gear is still in the back, and my hair is grimy with soot. After the haul home and quick debrief at the station, while a bunch of the other guys took off for hookups or one of the twenty-four-hour bars in town, I jumped in my truck and headed straight for my kids.

I can shower after I pick them up—after I’m sure something won’t come up in Bethanny’s schedule that prevents me from spending the day with them.

I jump down from the driver’s seat and walk through the quietly chirping birds to the front door. Likely, the other people who live in this neighborhood are still asleep, taking advantage of a Saturday morning without school or work to make them hustle.

I put my knuckles to the wood of my ex-wife’s door and rap them against it three times before standing back. I don’t want to ring the bell, just in case someone is still sleeping inside.

I called on the way, to ensure I gave Bethanny and the kids warning, but I still don’t want to step on any toes.

I hear footsteps approaching and then the lock on the door turning to disengage. When the door opens, Bethanny takes one look at my dirty face and clothes and rolls her eyes.

She glances over her shoulder briefly and then steps outside, closing the door behind herself. I cross my arms over my chest and brace for the onslaught.

“I guess at least there’s one day of your time with them left. Of course, Hayden’s championship football game was last night.”

I grit my teeth. I know his game was last night. I know more than she’ll ever fucking realize. If she thinks I wanted to miss it on purpose, she truly has who I am as a person twisted.

It literally breaks my fucking heart to miss anything when it comes to my kids.

“Bethanny, I had to work. I didn’t get a choice about whether I could be here or not.”

“Same old story,” she says bitterly, rolling her eyes. “Some things never change.”

“It’s my career, Beth. I wasn’t making it up to not be around you or something. Just because we divorced doesn’t mean I suddenly get to be home.”

“Thank God for the divorce, at least.”

I bite my lip to keep myself from saying something ugly. Not only will it do no good, I’ll also regret it. I don’t want to be that guy, and as much as we didn’t work out, Bethanny doesn’t deserve to be shown that guy. She might be an impossible-fucking-person a lot of the time, but I know that I also played a huge part in why our marriage didn’t work out.

I take a deep breath and nod before apologizing. “I’m sorry, Beth. But I’m glad you’re finally able to have some support. Blake seems like a great guy for you and the kids.”

She shakes her head, almost disgusted with me. “Jesus, Garrett, does it not even bother you?”

I sigh. “Does what bother me, Beth? Being away from the kids?” I ask, even though I’m ninety-nine percent sure that’s not what she means at all. “Of course that’s hard for me. The divorce, though…” Her eyes narrow as I finish. “I think that’s what was best for both of us.”

“Forget it,” she spits. “No woman is ever going to put up with this shit long-term anyway. You’ll always end up alone. Always, Garrett. No one getting into a relationship expects to have to live their life alone. And no matter what, no matter who the woman is, she’s always going to realize that the more time she spends with you, the more her life is leaving her behind because you will always put your career first. Hopefully that’s a choice you can live with when you have no time left to live at all.”